


a case of you

by selinameyer



Category: House M.D.
Genre: F/M, it's the sperm donor au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/selinameyer/pseuds/selinameyer
Summary: in which cuddy sums up the courage to ask house to be her sperm donor
Relationships: Lisa Cuddy & Greg House, Lisa Cuddy/Greg House
Comments: 15
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is part one of two/three.

“You came all the way up here just to tell me that?”

She hates how well House knows her, how he can tell that there’s something on her mind even though she can’t bring herself to say the words aloud. She’s afraid of being rejected. It’s that simple. If she doesn’t ask for what she wants, she’ll never have to face the fear of possibly being turned down. 

But the thing is, she knows House as well as he knows her. She knows that his persistence at making sure she understood the gravity of having a child with a person she would never meet is because he wants to volunteer to be her donor.

They’re in a stalemate, because neither wants to own up to what they actually want. Cuddy knows that that is their main problem — wanting the same thing but being too afraid to go off the deep end. 

She has to jump first.

“No…” She hesitates before taking a deep breath and continuing. “Do you want to grab dinner, maybe tomorrow, if you’re free?” 

She hates that she sounds nervous. It’s House for god’s sake. He’s the only person who even knows she’s trying to get pregnant. He’s the only person she trusts enough to help her through the process.

“Ooh, tomorrow’s poker night with Wilson and the boys, but this is an excellent excuse to gloat about. They’ve actually got a bet going to see who can get in your pants first, me or Wilson.”

She knows he probably means it — but she also knows he’s telling her to get a reaction out of her and she can’t give him the satisfaction of that. Not when she’s going to be giving him the satisfaction of something even greater.

“There’s this place I know —”

“I’ll pick you up at eight.” He says, cutting her off as he grabs his bag from beneath his desk.

“That’s not how this works! I asked you out.” She retorts, flabbergasted. 

“Do you’re saying this is a date?”

House smirks at her and she can feel her neck start burning red. 

“It’s a date, whatever.” She responds as she quickly turns on her heels and walks out of his office.

“Wear something tight!” He calls after her and all she can hope is that no one else on the floor pays him any mind.

*—*

House pulls into Cuddy’s driveway at seven fifty-five. He takes off his helmet and perches it on the seat of his bike before removing his cane from its holder and heading towards the front door.

He knocks. 

It takes a minute before the door pulls open and he’s a little taken aback at the sight of Cuddy in black jeans and a dark blue v-neck. 

She looks good. 

Not that she doesn’t while she’s at work — it’s just that there’s more of a softness to her when she’s in casual closing as opposed to her power suits. It helps that she’s barefoot at the moment reminding House of the fact that he’s got a foot on her height wise.

“You’re on time. Color me shocked.” She says as she gives him the once over. “Let me just get my shoes on and we can head out.” 

He watches as she steps into a pair of black heels, but he’s unable to shake just how tiny she is. It really is a rarity for him to see her wearing anything other than heels.

“Might wanna grab an extra layer.” He says as he watches her reach for her purse. Cuddy grabs a black windbreaker from her coat rack before stepping outside to join him. He watches as she fumbles with her keys as she locks her front door.

“So where are you taking me, since you shot down my original plan without even knowing it?” She asks as they walk towards her driveway. 

Cuddy balks as they reach his motorcycle. 

House can sense that she’s apprehensive. She’s not going to admit it, but he knows her well enough to know she hasn’t been on a motorcycle in at least ten years, if at all.

“I promise we’ll be fine. I don’t make promises, so don’t take my saying that too lightly.” He says as he removes the passenger seat and unclips the smaller helmet he brought along, handing it to her. 

He watches her as she puts it on and straps it in place correctly.

“Atta girl.” 

He can feel her roll her eyes as he puts on his own helmet. He pops his cane back into its holder and carefully swings his bad leg over the bike. He doesn’t need to tell her that she can go ahead and hop on. Cuddy does it without an issue and he reaches behind him, grabs her arms and wraps them around his waist.

He could have had her hold onto his shoulders, but in all honesty, he would rather have her chest pressed as close to his back as possible. Not only because it was going to feel nice but because he would also be able to feel her level of tension. He knows exactly why she asked him to dinner. The easier it is to get her to take her mind off of her nervousness about the evening, the easier it’s going to be for her to tell him exactly what she wants. He knows that by the time they reach the place he found them for dinner, she’ll have left her nerves far behind her. 

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.” She mumbles, tightening her arms around him and resting her chin against his shoulder. 

It’s the first time in a long time that he’s experienced some sort of genuine physical touch from another person and it sort of makes him ache a little inside. 

It’s not that he doesn’t like physical contact from others — it’s just that he’s incredibly picky with who can or can’t cross his boundaries. There is only one person always welcome to cross his boundaries for physical touch and she’s doing it right at this very moment. 

House revs the motorcycle’s engine and chuckles to himself when he feels Cuddy startle.

“I made a promise, remember?” He says as he starts to back out of her driveway.

It’s a fifteen minute ride to Jack’s Steakhouse, a place he’s frequented for years. He’s sure to drive just a little under the speed limit and soon enough he feels Cuddy relax against him. He’s not one to ever make promises, but this was one he would never risk breaking. House prides himself in only ever being reckless with his own life — not the life of anyone that’s a part of his. 

He pulls his bike up to the handicap spot right in front of the restaurant and kicks down the kickstand before swinging his bad leg over the side of the bike and getting off of it, extending a hand to Cuddy.

“What a gentleman.” She says chuckling as she takes his hand and hops off of the bike, unbuckles the helmet and hands it to him. He removes the seat and clips both helmets into place before returning the seat to its original position and locking it in place.

“I’ve lived down the street from this place since it opened and I’ve never managed to actually make it down here.” Cuddy admits as they head towards the entrance.

“That’s because you’re a workaholic.” He responds, teasingly as he holds the door open for her. 

“Well if it isn’t Dr.House… and a lady friend? My god, has hell frozen over?” 

Missy’s always been the shift lead whenever he’s made it to Jack’s. She’s a part of the experience of eating there.

“Oh, shut up.” He responds rolling his eyes, causing the younger woman to chuckle in response.

“Your usual booth was actually just bussed, so you got here in perfect timing.” She says as she grabs two menus and leads them to a round booth in the corner of the restaurant.

“So you’re a regular here, huh?” Cuddy asks as she slides into the booth, eyebrow raised. 

“Come by once a week for a bite to eat. Gotta take advantage of the places that actually have good food.” He shrugs in response as he slides into the side opposite her. 

“You want your usual, scotch?” Missy asks as she places the menus in front of them on the table. 

“Not tonight. I’ll have whatever she’s having, though.” He responds nodding in Cuddy’s direction.

“Two martinis — gin please, hold the olives.” Cuddy’s answer is quick and direct, and it’s his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“I’ll be right back with those.” Missy winks at him as she walks away, and House rolls his eyes in response.

“She seems very fond of you.” Cuddy remarks as she rests her chin in her hand and smirks at him.

“She takes good care of me, I tip her well.” He shrugs again. 

“It’s sweet.” She responds, her previous smirk morphing into a soft smile. He slides deeper into the booth so that they’re side by side and drapes an arm around around the back of the booth.  
*—*

“You obviously know why I asked you out tonight, right?” She says quietly, her face just inches away from his. 

She and House are side by side in the booth; he’s got his arm around her waist and a hand on her thigh. It’s almost one a.m. and maybe it’s the alcohol that has her feeling a little bolder than usual, or maybe it’s the fact that she likes House and this date is the first good one she’s had in a really, really long time.

“I have an inkling as to why.” He responds, his voice low. “I’d rather hear you say it though.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other day and you’re right. I should know who I use as a donor. I should find someone I trust and like...but there’s only one person I could think of that I would want to ask…” She swallows hard before continuing. “Will you be my donor?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” House says as he lets out a low laugh. 

“House..”

“I can’t believe you almost asked Wilson before asking me.” He teases. 

“I will admit, it was not my finest moment.” She responds, chuckling. “You’ll really do this for me?” 

“I’m already giving you the injections so I’m kind of already a part of your process.” 

“I don’t know how I can ever thank you for this.” 

“I think I might know of a few ways.” 

She watches as he raises an eyebrow suggestively before she rolls her eyes.

“Sorry, I don’t put out on the first date.” 

“Tease.”

“You’ve got a good imagination. It’ll be useful for when you get reacquainted with your right hand.”

“It’s my left actually.” 

She feels her neck start to burn red. The last thing she had expected to learn tonight was which hand was his dominant hand while he masturbated.

“Thanks for that, it was always at the top of my list of things I needed to know.” She responds in an attempt to play it cool. She knows he can see right through her.

Cuddy watches as he looks down at his watch.

“Well, it’s one a.m., I’m pretty sure I kept you out way past your bedtime.” He says as he pulls out his wallet and leaves a hundred dollar bill on the table.

“You don’t have to do that.” She responds as she reaches for her purse. “I asked you out, remember?”

“But I hijacked your plans.” He retorts, as he stands and pulls on his jacket.

“What time does this place close anyway?” She asks as she also stands, looking around and noting that the place is empty.

“Half an hour ago.”

It doesn't come as a surprise to her that the passage of time went as quickly as it did. She and House have known one another for years — it’s not uncomfortable to just sit and talk together for a few hours; on the contrary, it feels like one of the most natural things in the world. 

Cuddy stretches as she yawns, her shirt rising up and he reaches over and gently pulls it back down. 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

The moment they are outside they realize that it’s been raining for most of the evening. 

“I can get us a cab.” He says as he pulls out his cellphone and begins to dial. She reaches over and shuts it, moving his hand back towards his pocket. 

“I trust you.” 

It’s a longer ride home because of the rain and she appreciates his caution. Thankfully it’s not raining hard enough to absolutely drench them, just enough to get them a little damp. She suddenly remembers how she had planned to go jacketless until House had advised her not to. 

He pulls into her driveway and it takes her a moment to let go of him. She can’t remember the last time she felt as close to someone as she did at this moment. 

Once again, House extends a hand to her once he’s off the bike and she takes it, lacing her fingers with his as they walk up to her front door.

“Your nipples are hard.” He says as he leans against her front door as she searches her purse for her keys. She rolls her eyes in response but can’t resist the laugh that escapes her.

“We’re not having sex tonight.”

She wants to have sex with him though — but she knows that it’s not the best time. 

“Ah, so we’re having sex another night?” 

“That’s a possibility.” She responds as she finds her keys and pushes them into the lock of her door. House moves away from the door and she pushes it open before turning to face him. She reaches a hand up and brings his face closer to hers and kisses him. Even in heels, she still has to stand on the tips of her toes in order to have any chance at reaching properly. Cuddy moans into his mouth as he wraps an arm around her pulling her against his chest. If he thought her nipples were hard before, she’s sure he can feel them first hand now. 

They pull away and they’re both slightly breathless; it takes everything in her not to ask him to spend the night. 

“Good night, House.”

“Good night, Cuddy.”

*—*

Wilson doesn’t miss a beat in questioning him on his whereabouts and why he missed out on Friday’s poker night. House shrugs him off with a bullshit answer of not having felt up to it. It wouldn’t be the first time he skips out on poker to stay home. 

It’s not anyone’s business what he does in his free time or who he spends it with. 

The truth of the matter is that Cuddy trusts him enough to allow him to be a part of this process after he figured out it’s what she was doing to begin with. She didn’t have to ask him to help her with her injections, or to look through her donor files. She sure as hell didn’t have to ask him to be her donor either, but the fact that she did is something he’s not willing to take for granted. The last thing he wants to do is break her trust — this isn’t something he could ever even consider telling another person about.

Being her donor means that he has have some tests run and since he’s always been prone to disappearing without notice, it’s not hard to slip away for a trip to the fertility clinic a few miles away from the hospital. 

He knows that Cuddy’s choice in going to a fertility clinic that’s not associated with the hospital is because she wants to have a sense of privacy. He had questioned her on why she wouldn’t do it at Princeton Plainsboro when she had hand picked the staff, but now that he was fully ingrained in the process, he was thankful she hadn’t. The second he would have gone in for testing at PPTH it would have spread throughout the entire hospital like wildfire, and it wouldn’t have taken a genius to put two and two together.

The process of giving a sperm sample is simple, but he would be lying if he were to say there isn’t something a little unnerving about masturbating into a specimen cup and immediately turning it over for testing. The entire process takes less than an hour and soon he’s barging into Cuddy’s office and locking the door behind him.

“Sample has been collected and has been sent off for testing.” He says as he drops down onto the couch beside her as she reviews what looks like the agenda for the next board meeting.

“They said give it a day and we should get the results back.” 

He eyes her as she sets the papers aside and turns to fade him, elbow resting on the back of the couch, hand cupping her cheek.

“I can’t thank you enough for doing this.”

“I came in a cup. Wasn’t that much work — the hot boss fantasy I thought of really did the trick.” 

Cuddy shakes her head and chuckles in response. 

“Do you want to come over tonight? There are some things I wanted to talk to you about in regards to this whole process.”

“Can we have sex?” He asks, raising his eyebrows suggestively, causing her to laugh again.

“No, but maybe I’ll let you kiss me this time.” 

It’s his turn to laugh.

“Yeah, I can come over. Time?”

“Right after work? I can pick up some Chinese on my way home.”

“Your bedtime is insanely early, so I’ll be there by six-thirty so you can put on your ugliest muumuu and be in bed by nine.”

“Was that what I was wearing in your hot boss fantasy?” She asks teasingly, questionably raising an eyebrow.

“That is for me to know and you to never find out.”

It’s not as erotic a fantasy as he knows she’s probably thinking. On the contrary, it’s nothing that wouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary for a couple in an already established relationship. But they’re not in a relationship — no they’ve skipped two steps ahead and he’s helping her have a baby instead. So it’s no wonder he’s not keen to admit that what she’s wearing in his fantasy is one of his old college tees and a thong. There’s something about his subconscious choice of one of his old tee shirts that makes the fantasy intimate. That’s just not something he’s willing to share.

He watches her as she rolls her eyes before she stands and walks over to her desk and pulls out the day’s dosage of her fertility meds. House stands and joins her, taking the syringe and bottle in one hand and the alcohol swab in the other. He’s been giving her these shots for almost a week now and yet there’s still a bashfulness that radiates off of her. 

Cuddy pulls her skirt up to reveal the curve of her ass. Even if it’s been a few days of this, he’s still going to take advantage and appreciate the view in front him. He rips open the swab and sanitizes the injection site — he’s been pricking her in the same spot every time for the sake of minimizing the discomfort. One sore spot is better than several.

“Dinner’s on me if you don’t flinch.” He says just as he pricks her with the needle. 

She flinches.

“I wasn’t going to let you pay again anyway.” She says as she readjusts her skirt. 

“Finally, a woman who believes in the true equality of the sexes.”

“Shut up, House.”

*—*

“So what are you propositioning tonight?” House asks as he sets his empty take out containers onto her coffee table. 

“I just want to be upfront with you — if this works out I mean.”

Cuddy watches as he nods in acknowledgment before continuing. 

“I don’t want you to think that I’m expecting anything from you. If this manages to work, and we — I manage to conceive, I won’t hold it against you if you don’t want to be involved any further. You’ve done your part as a donor, and I know that my saying any of this wouldn’t change your mind if it’s already made up, but I want you to know that there won’t be any resentment if you want to walk away.”

“Why don’t we wait to see if this actually works before you worry about whether or not I’m going to stick around?”

She rolls her eyes in response as she crosses her arms. She wishes she were surprised at his response. She also wishes it wasn’t something that immediately gave her the need to put her guard back up.

“You can just say no, I’m not going to be upset.” She responds tersely.

“You are upset. You just sprung this on me. I’m not going to answer a question that I don’t even know the answer to. It’s not something I’ve had a chance to think about because it’s not even in the realm of possibility yet — sperm hasn’t even come near the egg yet.”

She softens at his response, suddenly aware of how little time has passed since he agreed to be her donor to begin with. 

“I’m sorry.” She responds, feeling her cheeks turn red.

“I should go.” House says quietly, avoiding her gaze.

She watches as he stands from the couch and heads towards the front door.

Part of her wants to stop him, but she knows that he needs the space to think. She hears the click of the front door closing and sighs.

*—*

He’s caught off guard by her comments. What’s worse is that he immediately knows what he’s going to do if this is successful, and it frightens him. 

It frightens him because he’s not lying — he hasn’t thought about it at all, yet something in the pit of his stomach told him what he would do before he had fully  
processed her words.

It’s not necessarily that he didn’t want children — it’s that it was something he felt indifferent about. If it happens, that’s fine. If it doesn’t happen that’s also fine. But he’s never been presented with a situation where it would have ever occurred to begin with. He had been with Stacy for five years and they’d never even broached the subject of having kids. 

He isn’t even in a relationship with Cuddy, yet the moment he had realized she was trying to get pregnant, he was irritated that he wasn’t the first person she had come to when looking for a donor. There’s something about doing this with her that just makes sense and it’s not something he can fully understand why. 

He’s never even bothered to think they’d get this far to begin with. But this is his reality — there is a fifty-fifty chance that Cuddy gets pregnant, and if she does, a part of him wants to be present for it all.

The other part of him wants to run for the hills at the thought of possibly being anything like his own father. Deep down he knows that the fear of being inadequate is the reason he’s never even considered fatherhood until this moment.

Of course his consideration of the idea would be Cuddy’s doing. 

She’s the only person patient enough to be able to handle a child made up of half of his DNA; she handles a hundred percent of his DNA on a daily basis — half of that would be a breeze for her. 

She is also the most forgiving person he’s ever met and loyal to a fault, especially when he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t have enough appendages to count the times she’s put herself on the line for him after one of his fuckups, knowing that he was never going to thank her for it.

Maybe doing this for her, with her, could be his way of showing his gratitude. 

*—*

House’s tendency to deflect from things is something that at times drives her up a wall, but she’s relieved at the way he immediately makes a snide remark about her outfit when he barges into her office as if they didn’t have an argument the night before. Maybe the fact that she’s been avoiding him all day also helps. 

She knows she’s in the wrong and needs to apologize but a part of her is just so mortified. 

“Swimmers are good to go.” He says as he drops down into one of the chairs in front of her desk, leans forward and rests his chin on the handle of his cane.

“How did you get your results back so quickly?” She asks, raising an eyebrow as she rests her chin in her palm.

“I slept with one of the technicians there many moons ago.” 

Cuddy rolls her eyes, wishing she could feign surprise.

“That’s fantastic...I have two more shots left — today and tomorrow. Egg retrieval needs to be done 34-36 hours after the final injection which means that tomorrow’s injection would need to be done at some point in the evening.”

“I can come over again after work. Midnight would probably be the best timing — gives you between 10am and noon on Friday to have the retrieval done.”

“That’s not too late for you, is it?”

She watches as House shrugs before responding.

“I’m still up at that point anyway.”

“Thank you, again.”

*—*

He pulls into her driveway at 11:50pm, parks his bike near the walkway and heads towards her front door. 

The door pulls open before he even has a chance to knock. 

“That eager for a shot in the ass?” He teases as she steps aside and lets him in. 

She’s just taken a shower, still in her bathrobe. Her hair is wet and he can smell the coconut oil in her shampoo as he brushes past her. 

“Sue me for being a little anxious.” She responds, shrugging as she shuts the door behind her and leads him into the master bathroom. 

He’s not surprised that she already has everything perfectly set aside for him. He watches her as she props herself up against the sink with one elbow, her free hand reaching behind her to push away the silk of her robe to reveal her ass. House reaches for an alcohol wipe and rips it open with his teeth before bringing it to her skin. It sends a shiver through her.

“Really? You can clearly see that I just took a bath, House.”

“Wouldn’t want to risk anything.”

He tosses the wipe into the trash and uncaps the needle, before pricking her with it.

“All set.” 

“Thank you...and I want to apologize for the other night. I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat so quickly — I didn’t realize how little time had passed since I asked you and it all went completely over my head and I overstepped —“

“Cuddy, shut up.” He says as he meets her gaze through their reflections in the mirror. 

They both realize his hand is still on her hip and he uses it to gently pull her back against him. 

“We can’t have sex.” She says, inhaling sharply as he slides his hand beneath the front of her robe.

“I know we can’t — no exertion before the egg retrieval, I know how this works. No one ever said you couldn’t relax the night before though, did they?”

“No, they didn’t.” She responds as she grabs his hand and leads it between her legs. 

He watches her reflection in the mirror as she rests her head back against his shoulder, biting at her lower lip as he slides two fingers between her folds. 

She’s already wet and he wonders how long it’s been since she had someone touch her. He knows that it wouldn’t be an issue for her to find men who would love to fuck her — it’s that she would rather fuck men she’s formed some kind of connection with, but he knows that for someone as independent as she is, it’s hard to find men that will stick around long enough to actually connect with.

Cuddy moans quietly as he kisses her neck, pushing his fingers inside of her. She closes her eyes, relaxing against his chest as he brings his freehand up to her chest. She squirms against him as he circles her nipple with the pad of his thumb, the fingers of his other hand slowly pumping inside of her.

“You don’t have to be quiet, you know. No one’s going to walk in on us.” His voice low as he brings his mouth to her ear. She gasps, loudly as his thumb presses against her swollen clit.

“Open your eyes.” He says into her hair as he slowly continues to finger fuck her, feeling her tighten against his fingers.

“House.” She whines, opening her eyes and meeting his gaze in the mirror. The sound alone is enough to make his cock twitch. He would be lying if he said the bulge in his pants isn’t uncomfortable but that isn’t his focus at the moment.

House increases the pace of his fingers and she bucks against his hand. She pulls his face next to hers and strains her neck so that she can press her lips against his. He’s almost taken aback at the franticness of her mouth against his but he’s distracted by the way his fingers as her inner walls begin to pulsate. He increases the pressure against her clit as he slows his fingers inside her again. Cuddy whimpers against his mouth as she brings a hand to cover his hand that’s never left her breast.

He’s sure he’ll get an earful about the bruising he’ll have caused.

“Fuck me.” She murmurs against his mouth as she comes, leaving his hand soaked. 

They pull away and he tilts her head up to look at him, her cheeks flushed, breathing unsteady, and slightly embarrassed.

“Do you want to spend the night?” She asks, avoiding his gaze.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

*—*

She takes his hand and leads him to her bed. Cuddy brings her hands up to his chest and pushes off his jacket as he sits on the bed. She wants to touch him the way he’s just touched her. She knows it’s the hormone injections that are causing her to be this forward — this would have never happened if they weren’t wreaking havoc on her sex drive. 

It’s not like it’s hard for her to find someone to have sex with — she’s had one night stands in the past — she’s just tired of not having someone in her life that’s worth trusting and having sex with. 

“Take off your sweats.” She says, reaching to toy with the drawstring on them. He gently grabs her hand to stop her. 

“I don’t want you to see my scar.” He says quietly.

She softens as she sits down beside him. 

It’s incredible how House is the one person capable of making her emotions make a full one-eighty within a matter of seconds. 

“Okay.” She responds, nodding. 

He guides her hand into his boxers and she can’t help but shake her head. Even in a moment of vulnerability, House is still House. 

She runs her fingers along his length, rubbing her thumb against his wet tip. His cock twitches in her hand as he groans quietly in response. Cuddy wraps her fingers around his shaft and pumps slowly. She leans forward and kisses his neck as House takes a deep breath, shifting beneath her palm. She sucks at his neck, knowing that if she uses enough pressure it’ll leave a mark. House can get away with hickeys at work -- no one would ever suspect it came from her.  
She gasps as she feels his fingers intertwine in her hair and his hand pushing her head towards his own. She pulls his cock out of his sweats as he kisses her, his teeth pulling at her lower lip, his fingers pulling at her curls. 

She increases the speed of her hand, circling his swollen tip and he groans against her mouth again. She smirks against his mouth before slowing her pace. She’s going to savour the opportunity to torture him a little, even if it’s not going to be for long. 

House pulls away from her and buries his face into her shoulder as he cums into her hand. She brings her freehand to the back of his neck and toys with the curls there. 

She stands and heads towards the bathroom to wash her hands. She grabs a towel when she’s finished and tosses it at him before she pulls the covers back on her side of the bed and settles in.

It’s not long before she feels the bed shift and House’s hands on her hips, pulling her towards him.

*—*

“Monster truck rally’s in town this weekend.” Wilson says, waving two tickets in front of House’s face as he leans against the wall separating the balconies outside of their offices. House watches as Wilson climbs over the wall and into his balcony. 

“I’m busy this weekend.” He responds, waving him off.

“First no poker, now no monster trucks? Who are you and what have you done with the real Gregory House?”

“My patience for people has worn thin this month.” House responds, flippantly. 

“Are you breaking up with me?” Wilson asks, feigning hurt.

House laughs, shaking his head.

“You would have known if we weren’t friends anymore, Jimmy. You’re good for now.”

“But are you good?” 

“I promise you, if there was something wrong with me, you’d know by my not telling you that there was something wrong with me.”

“Which you just did, so there is something wrong with you.”  
“There’s nothing wrong with me, I’m just busy.” 

It’s not like he’s lying. There’s a chance that he will be busy during the weekend, but there’s also a chance that he won’t. 

Cuddy’s egg retrieval is in an hour and she’s left it up to him whether or not he wants to attend. 

He’s decided to go with her and wait it out in the waiting room; he knows how the procedure works and knows that she won’t be able to drive herself home because of the anesthetics and he would rather take her home than let her take a cab. It’s up to her whether or not he’s going to spend the weekend at her place. 

It’s only a matter of time before the air fully shifted between them.

House looks down at his watch and notes it’s a quarter after ten. 

“Speaking of busy, I’ve got somewhere to be, so scram.”

He doesn’t wait for Wilson’s response before he heads back into his office and locks the sliding door behind him. 

He grabs his backpack off from his desk and pulls his phone from his pocket. Cuddy’s phone number has always been on his speed dial -- he’s always wanted to make sure he could annoy her at a moment’s notice. 

“I parked in the garage, I’ll pull up next to the elevators.” He says when she answers, and he hears her let out a soft laugh before she responds.

“I’ll see you there.”

He doesn’t mind the discreteness of it all. As a matter of fact, he prefers it. He knows that if this works and Cuddy ends up pregnant, the moment it’s figured out by one of the nurses, the entire hospital will know that he was the one helping her with the process. When that happens, because it inevitably will, neither one of them will know peace for at least a few weeks.

The second he spots Cuddy walking out of the elevator, he knows she’s anxious. It’s not visible to the naked eye but he’s known her long enough to sense the shift in her demeanor.

He thinks about saying something, trying to offer her a word of comfort, but they both know that’s not his strongest suit. He hopes that his being there is something that can bring her a source of comfort, a reminder that she’s not alone in this.

She gets into the passenger’s side of his car and smiles when she looks over at him.

He’d be lying if he says it doesn’t make his chest hurt.

The fertility clinic is only a ten minute drive from the hospital and within twenty minutes they’re sitting side by side in the clinic’s waiting room. 

Cuddy’s nerves have intensified and as she sits beside him, he feels her leg shaking. He’s unable to recall a time he’s ever seen her this nervous -- Cuddy has always shown herself to have nerves of steel. 

House reaches over and puts a steadying hand on her knee and she gently places her hand over his.

“Thank you for doing this with me.”

He squeezes her knee in response.

When Cuddy’s name is called and she’s taken in for the procedure, House waits it out in the waiting room. It’s not as if he could be back there with her while it was going on — as much as he would’ve liked to make sure there weren’t any fuck ups. 

It’s not a long procedure but the thirty minutes he spends waiting to be advised that it’s been completed feel like an eternity. When it is done, he still has to wait another half hour before Cuddy’s released. The recovery area for the procedure is for family or partners only and seeing as to them he’s neither, they won’t let him go back there. He spends five minutes trying to argue that the fact that he’s the one on her emergency contact form should mean he’s included in those ranks but the techs refuse to budge. 

An hour and a half after initially getting there, they’re on their way back to Cuddy’s house. When they arrive, House pulls into her driveway and rounds the passenger side of the car after getting out. He pulls open the door and extends a hand to Cuddy, who takes it, wincing as she gets out of the car. 

“Cramping?” He asks as they head towards her front door, her hand tightly holding onto his arm. 

She nods in response.

“There’s a heating pad in the bathroom closet, if you could get that out for me, I’ll be okay for the weekend.” 

House rolled his eyes as he grabs her keys and opens her front door. She’s still a little out of it from the anesthetic and from the look on her face, she’s really trying to keep it together when it came to the pain she was experiencing from the cramping. He helps her into her bedroom and sits her down on the bed. 

“Alright, where are your pajamas?” He asks, eyeing the room before heading towards her dresser. 

“Second drawer.” She responds just as he pulls it open. He grabs a pair of sweats and the first shirt he sees and tosses it over to her on the bed before he goes into her bathroom and attempts to retrieve the heating pad for her. 

It takes him a moment to find it in the closet -- she failed to mention that it was buried deep within several stacks of towels. He brings it over to her and unplugs the alarm clock on her bedside table and plugs in the heating pad.

“Thank you.” She says as she holds the heating pad against her abdomen. 

“Need anything else?”

“Will you spend the night?” 

Her eyes meet his as she says it, and he feels that same pain in his chest that he felt earlier in the day when she smiled at him getting into his car. 

“A good thing I’m free all weekend.” He responds, watching her as she shakes her head and a small smile creeps across her lips. 

*—*

House is more gentle with her than she could have ever thought possible of him.

She’s laying on her stomach, head resting on her arm as he massages the small of her back. She’s been warned that there’s a chance of mild discomfort after the egg removal, but with her luck it’s almost unbearable. 

House’s hands against her skin offer a welcome respite from the constant pain. 

He’s been so attentive to her needs that a part of her wonders if he’s been body snatched, but she knows that deep down, he’s more than capable of being gentle when it’s needed. She feels lucky to be one of very few people to see this rare side of him.

“I’m all in.” He says quietly, as he softly runs his fingers up her spine.

“What?” 

She knows what he means, but she wants to hear him say it.

“I’m here aren’t I? I’m in, Cuddy. If this works, if you get pregnant, I’m all in. I want to be a part of this, if you still want me to be.”

“You’re here, aren’t you? Of course I want you to be a part of this, House. I asked you to stay.” She says quietly as she sits up and leans against the headboard so that she can look him in the eye. House is rough around the edges, an uncut gem but she knows that most of the time he means no harm. 

“So what’s our plan?” He asks, shifting so that he’s sitting beside her.

“How about we take things one day at a time?” 

She watches as he nods in understanding.

“I do have a suggestion though.” He says, as he turns to look at her.

“What?” She asks as she turns her head to face him.

“This.” He responds, cupping one of her boobs. 

She shakes her head and laughs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the way this was just supposed to be a two part thing and now it's going to end up being a multi-chapter thing but i swear it will get finished and not abandoned because i love this idea. anyway don't forget to leave your kudos and comments!

House spends the entirety of the weekend with her. He only leaves once — when Cuddy’s managed to fall asleep for a bit after she’s comfortable in bed post procedure— and goes home to grab some extra clothes. 

He doesn’t think she ever realizes he’s gone for a brief moment.

They spend the remainder of that first day in bed, her head on his chest and his hand rubbing circles into the flesh of the small of her back.

He learns a lot about her over the course of the weekend, like the fact that she was a daddy’s girl, though that wasn’t a surprise to him, and that if she hadn’t been a doctor she would have probably ended up going to law school and becoming an environmental lawyer. She’s always wanted to do whatever she could to make the world a better place. In another life, she’s probably one of New Jersey’s senators. 

He reluctantly reveals some things about himself too. He knows that it’s necessary in order for this endeavor to stand any chance. He admits that his initial hesitation wasn’t because he didn’t want to be involved, but because part of him fears that he may turn out like his father. It’s the first time he tells someone about the abuse he suffered as a child. She tells him that she knows him well enough to know that he would never harm a child; that she’s seen the way he acts around children and that it’s the only time he ever lets his guard down. It’s a comfort in a way to know that someone sees things in him that he cannot see within himself. 

He shouldn’t be surprised that she’s made these observations about him but he can’t help but wonder why she gives him this sort of attention when she could easily have any other man without even trying. 

“Implantation is on Wednesday.” She says quietly as they lay side by side in her bed on Sunday evening. 

“Do you want me there?” 

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll be there. I’m surprised you didn’t schedule it for tomorrow, that’s the earliest it could be done, right?”

“Tomorrow’s too soon. I need to get into the right mindset. I need to go into it accepting that there’s a possibility that nothing will come of this.”

“If nothing comes of it we can always try again.” 

He can’t tell her that it’s going to work and a part of him thinks she doesn’t want him to say that anyway. The truth is they’re both doctors — they know how this process works and they know that it’s a fifty-fifty chance of success. There’s no point in setting up false expectations.

“We?” Cuddy asks, eyes widening in surprise.

House rolls his eyes before responding.

“Are you not intending on using my sperm again if you try again?” 

“No, I just… I thought you’d only want in if it worked during the first try.”

“I’m in for as long as you want me to be in, Cuddy. I thought I made that clear.”

She doesn’t respond and instead turns to face him, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek. Her thumb gently caresses his cheek as she takes a deep breath and sighs.

“Thank you.” She says quietly, giving him a soft kiss on the mouth.

* * *

When House goes home late Sunday night, a part of her feels a sort of ache without him there. She knows that it’s naive of her to already allow herself to get attached after a weekend together but at the same time, they’re in the process of embarking on a journey that will tie them together for life. 

House is a difficult man for most to understand. At times he leaves even her at a loss for words, but the past few days have shown her a side of him that most would never believe even exists.

Cuddy knows that opening up is not something that comes easily to him. It’s an enormous feat that he opens up to her about his childhood and the profound effect it’s had on him. It’s not something to be taken lightly. It reassures her that he  _ is  _ committed to this. It’s silly that she ever considered anyone other than House to do this with, no matter how brief that consideration had been. 

It was only a matter of time before their flirtation came to a head and while this wasn’t the most conventional way, for them it makes sense. 

It’s hard for her to fall asleep that night, the empty space beside her making her feel lonelier than she’s ever felt before. 

* * *

“I think House is seeing someone.” Wilson announces as he walks into her office, bearing two cups of coffee. He slides one in front of her before dropping down into one of the chairs in front of her desk and propping his feet up.

“What makes you say that?” She asks, raising an eyebrow before feigning a sip from the paper cup. He hasn’t the slightest idea that she’s trying to get pregnant. No one other than House is in on it, making it their own little secret. 

“He cancelled on poker the week before last. Said no to the monster truck rally this past weekend. Why else would he be ditching on his only social plans without any explanation?”

“Yes, because House has always given an explanation for any of his actions. You know you’re the common denominator between those two things, right? Maybe he’s just avoiding  _ you _ .” 

Cuddy watches as Wilson’s brow furrows — her suggestion clearly not something he had taken into consideration as a possibility. 

“That ass.” He says as he shakes his head. 

“House is elusive, you and I both know that if you leave him alone he’ll come back to you when he’s ready. There’s no need to have your feelings hurt, Wilson.” 

“My feelings aren’t hurt!”

“Sure they’re not.”

“Okay, maybe they are a little hurt.”

“If you had more than one friend, maybe your feelings wouldn’t be hurt like this.”

“You’re not into monster trucks, are you?”

She laughs, shaking her head in response. 

* * *

Cuddy hands him a case file Tuesday morning and the glance they exchange makes it clear that they’re both aware he may not be able to make the implantation procedure the next afternoon.

“It’s fine.” She says as she hoists her skirt up for the final injection in the pre-implantation stage of the fertility process.

He knows she’s only saying that to try and make herself feel better.

“You don’t have to pretend to be okay with it, Cuddy. We both know you’re not. Though you could have always selfishly turned this patient away.” He says jokingly, as he pricks her with the needle.

“You’re an ass.” She responds, adjusting her skirt and turning to face him, arms crossed. 

He rolls his eyes at the immediacy of her guard going up. 

“You can’t be mad at me over this. I don’t have any control over what happens with my patient in the next twenty-four hours, stop being irrational.”

“Don’t you have a patient to get back to?” 

“You’re right, I do. Maybe they’ll drop dead between now and tomorrow afternoon so that you can really get what you want. But then again, I’d have to deal with your perverse sense of guilt if they do, so maybe not.”

He exits her office without another word.

His patient doesn’t die but she comes damn near close to it. She goes into cardiac arrest the next afternoon. 

He misses the implantation.

He texts Cuddy, asking her how she’s doing. There’s no response. 

She ignores his calls.

“Which one of you is on rotation tonight?” He asks, peaking into the outer office, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“I am.” Chase responds.

“Great. Don't call me unless she dies.” He retorts before heading out.

House uses the spare key she keeps underneath a planter to let himself in. It’s a terrible hiding spot and he makes a mental note to remind her to pick somewhere less obvious. He quietly lets himself in, putting the chain on the door after shutting it behind him. He can see the flickering of Cuddy’s tv peaking through the slightly open door of her bedroom down the hall. He leaves his cane by the door before making his way down the hall. 

When he pokes his head into her bedroom, he finds her fast asleep. House makes an effort to be extra quiet as he gets ready for bed. He doesn’t want to wake her until he’s gotten into bed — there are only two ways she’ll react when she feels the bed shift with his weight and he would rather find out when he’s in a better position to deal with her head on.

He walks into the bathroom, changes into his pajamas, and brushes his teeth, setting his toothbrush into the empty space beside hers in the holder. He looks at their toothbrushes side by side.

It’s too comfortable. 

He takes his toothbrush out of the holder and sets it beside the sink instead before he flips off the light and limps back into the bedroom, pulls back the sheets, and gets into bed beside her.

“I’m still mad at you.” Cuddy says as she turns in his direction. 

House rolls his eyes and pulls her against his side.

“You don’t have any reason to be mad at me, I didn’t do anything. It’s just the hormones making you a bigger bitch than usual.”

“You are such an asshole.” She says, beginning to pull away from him. 

He pulls her back to him, tilting her chin up so that he can look her in the eyes.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I don’t mean it.” He says quietly, meaning it. 

He doesn’t want to argue with her or make this into something bigger than it needs to be. He’ll cut his losses with her just once, knowing for a fact that the injections are making her overly emotional, even if she herself won’t admit it. He makes a mental note to back off on the snide remarks for a little bit in order to keep the peace between them. 

“Thank you.” She responds, avoiding his gaze, her lip trembling. “I wish I hadn’t been alone today.” She says, voice barely above a whisper. 

“I would’ve been here sooner if I could.”

“I know.” He runs his fingers along her arm as a gentle reminder that she’s not alone.

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

He presses his lips against her temple, a sense of unease forming in the pit of his stomach. 

* * *

Her hands are shaking and she can feel her heart in her throat as she pulls the rectangular box out of her purse and opens it, pulling out the pink and white pregnancy test. 

It’s been ten days since the embryo transfer, meaning it’s been long enough to know whether or not it was successful.

“I don’t hear you peeing.” House says through the door and she laughs, some of the nervous energy leaving her. “I don’t even know why you won’t let me in there, it’s not like you haven’t been in the bathroom with me while  _ I’ve  _ peed.” 

“The door’s unlocked.” She says as she pulls down her underwear and hoists her skirt up, grabbing the test as she sits on the toilet. 

The door flings open, startling her. She almost drops the pregnancy test into the toilet bowl. 

“Can’t you have come in like a normal person? Did you have to make such an abrasive entrance?” She says, as she scowls at him.

“Any child of mine will be making an abrasive entrance, so I figure it’s best to condition you now. Still don’t hear any peeing.” He responds, rolling his eyes. 

“I can’t go if you’re staring me down.” 

“Seriously?” 

“Seriously!”

She watches as House rolls his eyes again before turning around.

She sets the pregnancy test on the counter when she’s done.

“You can turn back around now.” She says as she readjusts her skirt and flushes. 

“Weirdo.” He responds as she washes her hands.

“Shut up and set an alarm on your phone for ten minutes from now.”

“I paid for the pregnancy test  _ and  _ I have to set timers? You are  _ so  _ needy.” He whines, pulling out his flip phone. 

“You’re also paying for dinner.” She calls over her shoulder as she walks out of the bathroom and back into her bedroom. She kicks off her heels and goes through her drawers, looking for something more comfortable to change into. 

She strips, feeling House’s eyes on her as she changes into a tank top and a pair of sweats, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail before returning to the bathroom.

“Are you staying the night?” She asks as she stands in front of the mirror, watching him lean against the wall through the glass’s reflection.

“I gotta make sure my imprint remains on your mattress.” 

Cuddy chuckles to herself as she washes the day’s makeup off. She’s not sure how long it’ll be before she showers and she hates having makeup on for longer than needed. She reaches for a towel when she’s finished, patting her face dry. 

“I like getting to see your freckles. Reminds me that you’re not actually Medusa.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you remind them of a clown? I think you would have a flourishing career in comedy.” 

She turns to face him just as the alarm on his phone goes off. She feels her mouth go dry as their eyes lock. He nods at her and she turns back around and grabs the pregnancy test off of the counter. She can feel him directly behind her and leans back into him. He brings his hands up to her upper arms and rubs them in support. She takes a deep breath and looks down at the test.

Two little pink lines stare back up at her.

She turns around and looks up at House. He’s looking down at her, a rare smile on his lips. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him and he hoists her onto the counter in response, wrapping her legs around his waist as he slides his hands down to her hips. They pull away, foreheads pressed together. It’s a moment she’s sure she’ll remember for the rest of her life, just the two of them intertwined at their private joy. 

She doesn’t even realize she’s started crying until she feels him wipe a stray tear away from her cheek. 

“Congrats, mom-to-be.” 

She laughs in response, embracing him.

Her heart has never felt so full.

* * *

He’s happy for her. It’s not often that he actually cares enough about someone that he can feel their joy, but with Cuddy it has always been different. 

A part of him is also a little excited at what’s to come. He can’t wait for the day that someone at the hospital puts two and two together and realizes that Cuddy’s growing bump was his doing. He can’t wait for the inevitable office sex when her hormones get the best of her.

It’s an endless world of possibilities.

He is also terrified out of his fucking mind, but he can’t let her know that. He doesn’t want to ruin this memory for her. He knows how badly she’s wanted this and she’s the one person he’s willing to be selfless for in this scenario.

He pulls himself out of his thoughts, knowing that if he gets too into them, sooner or later Cuddy will realize it and ask him if he’s having second thoughts and while he’s not, that’s just not a conversation he wants to have at the moment.

House looks down at her as they watch television on her couch. His feet are up on the coffee table and she’s lying on the couch, her head resting against a pillow in his lap. He doesn’t even realize that his hand is resting over her abdomen until she slides her small hand over his.

He hates that he is far more invested in this, in  _ her  _ than he ever thought possible. It’s been so long since a tangible chance at a relationship has come close to being a possibility for him that the fear he suddenly feels is enough to make him want to bolt for the door.

“I’m going to bed.” Cuddy says, sitting up and turning to face him. “If you wanna keep watching this, you can watch it in my room...or you can stay here.”

He reaches for the remote and flicks off the television.

“Nah, it was a lackluster performance.” He responds, shrugging. He takes his legs off of the coffee table and rubs at his thigh, suddenly realizing how tense the muscle feels. “Just give me a second.” 

“Need a hand?” She asks as she stands and extends a hand to him. He looks at her, brow furrowed in concern, grey eyes shining with affection and reluctantly takes her hand. “Soon enough it’ll be you helping me off the couch.” 

He stands and follows as she leads him into the bedroom, fingers intertwined. 

“Do you want me to run you a hot bath for your leg?” She asks, looking up at him as they stand in the doorway of her bedroom.

“I’m okay.” He responds, earnestly.

He watches as she stands on the tip of her toes to press her lips against his. Instinctively, he wraps an arm around her waist, pressing her flush against him, her nipples hard against his chest. Cuddy whimpers into his mouth and he pulls at her lower lip with his teeth. She pushes her hips against his and he groans in response, sliding his hand up her tank-top and beneath her bra. 

He rubs the pad of his thumb against her nipple and she whimpers into his mouth before pulling away from him. She grabs his hand and leads him to the bed.  
  


“Are you sure?” He asks as he sits on the edge of the bed and she stands between his legs.

“Only if you want to.” She says quietly.

“There’s nothing I want more.” He says as he pulls her towards him. 

She straddles him, mindful of his leg, and he pulls off her shirt. House licks his lips as she discards her bra before he presses his face against her bare chest and motorboats her.

“Always wanted to do that.” He quips as Cuddy laughs in response, a sound he hopes he never grows accustomed to. 

“It tickles.” She responds when he rubs his stubble against her flesh. 

“Fine, I’ve got a better idea anyway.”

* * *

House’s mouth against her breast sends a shiver down her spine. He flicks his tongue against her nipple as his hands grip her hips, keeping her against him as she toys with the hairs at the nape of his neck. 

She lets out a soft moan when his teeth graze her nipple and she pulls him away from her chest and kisses him deeply, unbuttoning the wrinkled blue button-down he’s wearing and pushing it off of his shoulders. 

“Take off your clothes.” Cuddy murmurs against his mouth and they pull away for a moment. She shifts to the head of the bed and watches him as he undresses, feeling the desire bubble up inside of her.

“You’re still half dressed.” He notes as he presses a knee between her legs after rejoining her.

“There must be someone who can help me with that.”

Her breath hitches as he kisses his way down her stomach, stopping at the hem of her sweats. He looks up at her, eyes dark through long eyelashes and she can feel the blood rush to her cheeks. She nods and shifts her hips up, letting him pull off the remainder of her clothing.

She’s surprised when they’re face to face again, House’s fingers on her chin.

“Condom?”

“I’m already pregnant, House.” She laughs, shaking her head.

“Just wanted to be sure.” He responds, shrugging.

Cuddy lets out a quiet  _ “oh,” _ as he guides himself into her. 

“You okay?”

She nods in response, pushing the heel of her foot against the small of his back.

“Your leg?”

“I’ll be fine.” He replies before kissing her.

Their rhythm is slow, hands exploring every inch of flesh within reach. They’ve both wanted this for so long and while this is only the beginning of things, it’s a moment they want to remember. 

At least, for her it’s a moment she wants to remember. She’s newly pregnant and in bed with House, the father of the child she’s bearing. House who drives her insane most days of the week, House who has gone through this entire process with her and made sure to keep it between them. 

She feels his fingers gently brush against her stomach and she’s suddenly so overwhelmed with emotion that she could cry. At that same moment he increases the pace of his thrusting and she moans loudly into his mouth as her legs spread wider.

“Harder.” She murmurs desperately against his mouth, arching her back into him. 

She can feel her chest begin to tighten as he continues to thrust into her, the tip of his cock pushing into her g-spot with each repeated motion. Cuddy wraps her arms around his neck, keeping him as close as possible, panting against his lips as she feels the rush of her orgasm slam into her. She whimpers against him as she cums, the wetness between her legs letting him continue to fuck her with ease. She clenches around him, dragging her nails against his back. 

* * *

When Cuddy cums, she whimpers against his mouth and it’s a sound that makes his cock twitch inside of her. He’s close to his own peak, and slips a hand between their bodies, finding her clit. He smirks against her mouth as she gasps, both of her hands suddenly finding his biceps and her fingers digging into them. 

He slows the pace of his thrusts and the pace of his fingers against her and she makes that glorious whimpering sound again as her walls constrict against him and grunts into her neck as he finishes.

House drops down beside her on the bed and pulls her against his side, her face finding a resting place in the crook of his neck. 

“That was well worth the wait.” He says looking down at her.

Cuddy rolls her eyes, laughing in response.

“I’m so happy to hear.” She responds, voice laced with sarcasm as he feels her fingers trace the veins along his neck. 

“What are you thinking about?” 

“This is going to change things, isn’t?” She asks quietly, her thumb caressing the bottom of his jaw.

“I’m pretty sure things changed a little when I fingered you in your bathroom, unless that’s something that I could’ve done years ago and it wouldn’t have changed anything, which means I really missed out on something special.” He responds, smirking as he runs his fingers along her spine. He watches her as she laughs softly, shaking her head.

“Whatever it is that we have going on right now is nice, but where are we going with this?”

“It goes wherever you want it to go. You’re the boss here.”

He’s always been the one to make the first move and in a way, maybe he  _ did  _ set things into motion for them when he decided to snoop through her trash and realize that she was trying to get pregnant. If he hadn’t done that, she wouldn’t have asked him to help her with her injections, he wouldn’t have given her his sperm, and they almost certainly wouldn’t be in bed together. But that doesn’t change the fact that their situation is unique to them both; it’s  _ delicate _ . 

If this were anyone else in the world, he would never have made the active effort to let them be the one taking the reins, but Cuddy isn’t just anyone. She’s the one person who’s stood by him steadfastly, even when he’s been the most undeserving of it. 

“But what do  _ you  _ want out of this, House? I can’t be the only one making any decisions here.”

“Cuddy, if you want to put a label on this, then just say so. We’re already halfway to a shotgun wedding and I’ve probably spent just as much time here as I have at my place over the last few weeks. At this point I’m surprised you haven’t offered me a drawer to put my crap in.”

A week and a half ago he had found it too comfortable to put his toothbrush beside hers in the bathroom but now here he was, all but asking for a drawer in her dresser. Clearly something within himself has started to accept the fact that this is something he wants in his life, that it’s something he doesn’t want to fuck up. 

“Are you okay with that?”

House rolls his eyes in response.

“You’re pregnant with my spawn, what makes you think I wasn’t going to get possessive? You really think I’m gonna have the time of day to make eyes at anyone else? Besides, your hormones are only going to make you hornier and why on earth wouldn’t I want to be the one to satiate your carnal desires?”

“You a sexual deviant, you know that right?” 

“And yet, here you are, enabling said deviancy.”

He presses a kiss to her bare shoulder and she rolls her eyes, playfully pushing his face away with her hand.


End file.
